ITEC 814

Brand Spankin' New Guitar Site

2009-03-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gents,

I humbly introduce my new website for my Guitar II class, http://sites.google.com/site/mahsguitar2website/. On this site, we are hoping to provide links to valuable online tools for intermediate to advanced guitarists. In addition, we hope to have a place to post, share and comment on student works.

Happily? We Blog Along.

2009-03-22T17:18:00.001-07:00

Well here I am blogging along with all the other billion bloggers in the blogosphere and I have to wonder if the democratization of communication is all that it's cracked up to be. What do I have to say that's so damn important? Is this an opportunity for me to share something that will enlighten others or is it merely my chance to shake my rattle in the vastness of cyberspace where no one can hear you scream unless you post a podcast of video of the aforementioned scream?

After reading about the demise of various newspapers around the country, I'm concerned about the way we collect and access information. Newspapers have been a daily ritual for me since I was a child when my father worked for the Chicago Sun-Times/Chicago Daily News. The paper has been an invaluable resource for information and an effective watchdog for both corporate and government doings. If the newspaper, as we know, shrivels, where will we be able to read, not watch on TV, substantive information? Do I not have enough faith in the new media to shoulder the responsibility and respect newspapers have held or will this new media broaden or at least maintain that same respect?

All aboard!

2009-03-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

With all the bad news regarding budgets, etc. this class has been providing some interesting possibilities regarding education and financing. As I've stated earlier, if there is an eventual recognition of online learning as a valid component of secondary education, we as teachers had best be prepared to adapt to an online environment.

Urgency

2009-03-03T21:00:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling a sense of urgency regarding the creation of an online presence for the classes I teach. Posting dates for assignments, etc. seems critical at this point in time. We have tried to use Communicado in our district but Communicado seems a bit archaic when compared to Google docs and all the apps available online.

Technoligical Whirlwind

2009-03-01T15:00:00.000-08:00

This class is challenging my notions about the traditional school and I'm trying to anticipate how this will affect the nature of education. More and more states are allowing high school students to take online classes. Home schoolers, students in rural districts, and ambitious students and pareents are demanding more offerings and access to online education. Will there come a time when a number of courses are offered online as they are at the community college and university levels? What will be the impact on educators and their institutions?

As I see the daily newspaper struggling to survive amidst the new technology, will traditional schools face the same considerations? How can we argue against students taking courses on-line when I myself do it every year?

Guitar Uprising

2009-02-23T18:47:00.001-08:00

BIIIIGGGG Guitar

2009-02-23T18:33:00.001-08:00

Animoto Demo

2009-02-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

Week 1 Homework

2009-02-16T20:07:00.000-08:00

I've just finished listening to the recent one minute compositions submitted by my Guitar II students. I'm going to discuss with them the idea of posting their ideas on the Guitar II blog. I can envision a quasi-My Space page showcasing their developing works. Eventually I will record and post performances by the choir as well on their own page.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of my students already have some of their music on a Facebook or MySpace page. This ideas can often lead to some fertile classroom discussions. I'm looking forward to the shocked look on their faces when they realize they might have to submit their work to the world at large.

Oh the joy of Google Tools

2009-02-10T13:44:00.000-08:00

I can barely contain myself as I gleefully post to this blog.

All sarcasm aside, these tools have great potential and I realize we are only just beginning to understand the ramifications of their use. I feel this is the coming wave in education and the fiscal implications make me wonder how long we will have physical classrooms.

As far as direct impact in my classroom, I can foresee using these tools to create a complete online classroom community with assignments posted online creating opportunities for students to comment, interact and create within the context of the classroom activities.